Butland conceded 28 goals in 16 appearances whilst on loan at Elland Road, but Hughes has refused to criticise the 21-year-old.

The Yorkshire club have had a turbulent time off the field this season, with Butland's first two games coming at the height of that. They suffered 5-1 and 4-2 home defeats at the hands of Bolton and Reading.

Leeds conceded just four goals in their final six games, however, shining a brighter light on the end of Butland's loan spell.

Hughes says he has since analysed all of Butland's performances whilst away from the club, and believes there are few occasions where the promising keeper was to blame.

Hughes told the Stoke Sentinel: "He's had plenty to do, but that was the intention, and that's why we also sent him to Barnsley earlier on in the season.

"Leeds obviously have expectations and high demands on their players and that's what he will also get here in the Premier League, so it was important for him to play where there was that level of expectation.

"I have looked at the goals and you can't lay them at his door.

"He's still learning and it's been a difficult run for Leeds, but that's certainly not as a consequence of Jack."

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t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.